Fictional Security Agencies
Whether in the time line that we occupy or in science fiction, dystopia requires an apparatus of repression. Someone must detect, disrupt and punish departures from the madness imposed by the current powers that be. Some of the instrumentalities of official violence conceived by science fiction authors are outlandish but most seem less than extraordinary given the experience of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Espionage and Paramilitary A * Agencia Security - Allen Steele's novel Coyote Rising * Aliens Bureau - Iain M. Banks's novel The Hydrogen Sonata, p. 218 * Alliance Space Force - L.E. Modestt, Jr.'s novel The One-Eyed Man, p. 394 * American Security - Poul Anderson's short story "The Un-Man" in Astounding January 1953 * Angels of the Lord - Robert A. Heinlein's novella If This Goes On---'. * ''Antarctic Corps of Guards - James Morrow's 1985 novel '''This is the Way the World Ends * Array Security and Immigration - Gary Gibson's novel Final Days B * Babel Security - Christopher L. Bennett's novel Tower of Babel (Star Trek: Enterprise Rise of the Federation series) * Blackbirds - Rachel Bach's novel Future's Pawn * Brutality Squad - James Morrow's 1990 novel City of Truth * Bureau of Guardians - Yevgeny Zamyatin's 1922 novel We * Bureau of Morals and Investigations - Robert A. Heinlein's novella "If This Goes On--" in his collection Revolt in 2100 * Bureau of National Protection - Poul Anderson's short story "A Man to My Wounding" in his collection The Horn of Time * Bureau - Una McCormack's Star of the Sea (Weird Space universe) * The Bureau Underground - Ghosted comedy television series C * Cartagena Patrol - Mass Effect, often written as "C-Pat". Security aboard Cartagena Station. * Citadel Security - Mass Effect, often written as "C-SEC". Security and investigations aboard the Citadel. * Common Europe Navy - John Brunner's novel Stand on Zanzibar, p. 81 * Commonwealth Security Service - Marko Kloos' Frontlines series. The primary internal security wing of the North American Commonwealth (NAC) * The Constabulary - Ben Jeapes's novel Phoenicia's World * Cop Guild - David Brin's novel Existence (see also Fictional Labor Unions in Science Fiction) * CorpSeCorps (privatized policing) - Margaret Atwood's MaddAddam Trilogy * Council Special Police - John Barnes's novel and universe A Million Open Doors * CTAC or (Colonial Tactical Assault Group) - Altered Carbon D * Department of Emergency Security - Omar El Akkad's novel American War, p. 29 * Donte Fleet Intelligence - Iain M. Banks's novel The Hydrogen Sonata, p. 258 E * Earthforce - Babylon V universe * Ecolitan Institute - L.E. Modesitt Jr's Ecolitan series. Is originally a school dedicated to ecology, but becomes a governing body, military, security, and intelligence agency. * Europa Patrol - John G. Hemry/Jack Campbell's The Lost Fleet series. A special agency dedicated to ensuring that the Europa Quarantine Zone is never breached. * European Riot Police ("Yellows") - Adrian Mitchell's novel The Bodyguard * Exotic Corps - Robert A. Heinlein's novel Citizen of the Galaxy * Eyes and Ears - R. Curtis Venture's Armada Wars, the primary foreign and domestic intelligence service of the Imperial Combine. F * The Finger (secret police of the fascist Norsefire English regime) - V for Vendetta comic and film * Hive Intel - John Barnes's novel In the Hall of the Martian King G *Galactic Patrol - Andre Norton's Central Control novels (Star Guard and Star Ranger/The Last Planet) H * HanSecuritInc. - David Brin's novel Existence, p. 524 * Hawkins Police = Stranger Things television series I * Imperial Intelligence - Galactic Empire secret Service - Star Wars universe * Imperial Inquisition - Warhammer 40,000. Operated by the Imperium of Man, the Inquisition is dedicated to seeking out and destroying heretics and worshipers of chaos. * Imperial Shards - R. Curtis Venture's Armada Wars series. Agents are only referred to as a "shard" or "Shards" collectively, they are handpicked and directed y the Empress of the Imperial Combine directly, though can operate independently when not tasked with priority orders by the Empress. * Institute of Reconnaissance, Intelligence, and Security (IRIS) - Charles E. Gannon's novel Fire With Fire * International Secret Intelligence Service (ISIS) - Archer, a defunct intelligence agency * International Space Police Force - Star Cops 1987 television series * International Space Order - 12 to the Moon 1960 film * Interstellar Security Solutions - James Lovegrove's novel World of Fire * Interstellar Service - L.E. Modesitt Jr's Ecolitan series. * Internal Security Service - John G. Hemry/Jack Campbell's The Lost Fleet/The Lost Stars. The internal security forces of the Syndicate Worlds, and effectively a separate military. L * Lunar Guard - Poul Anderson's short story "The Un-Man" in Astounding January 1953 M * Malarchian Special Guard - Robert Kroese's novel Starship Grifters, p. 219 * Ministry of Time - El Ministerio del Tiempo 2015-2017 television series * ''Mississippi River Protection Agency - Omar El Akkad's novel American War, p. 29 * Moon Patrol - Futurama animated television series N * National Rifle Association or NRA - Max Berry's novel Jennifer Government * NID - Stargate franchise. Exact meaning is never offically disclosed, but based on comments in less official sources, can be the "National Institute of Defense" or the "National Intelligence Department/Directorate". * The Nightwatch (Earth Alliance secret police) - Babylon 5 universe O * Obsidian Order (Cardassian secret police and intelligence agency) - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine * Office of Secret Intelligence - Venture Brothers animated television series, 2009 * Oprichniki - Vladimir Sorokin's 2012 novel The Day of the Oprichnik: A Novel * Orbital Police Force - Ben Jeapes's novel Phoenicia's World, p. 387 * Organization of Democratic Intelligence Networks (ODIN) - Archer animated television series * Organized Crime Division - Star Wars universe P * Peace Dragoons - Robert A. Heinlein (author)'s novel The Moon is a Harsh Mistress * Pinkwater Security - The Expanse television series * Police Patrol - George Orwell's 1949 novel 1984 * Population Police (Poppol) - Anthony Burgess's novel The Wanting Seed * Population Police - Margaret Peterson Haddix's novel Among the Hidden * Psi Corps (Earth Alliance secret police telepath unit) - Babylon 5 universe Q * Quarantine Bureau - M. John Harrison's Empty Space: A Haunting, p. 37 R * RedBlacks (leader's personal guard) - Adam Novy's novel The Avian Gospels * Republic Intelligence - Galactic Republic secret Service - Star Wars universe * Resettlement Area Patrol - Ben Jeapes's novel Phoenicia's World * Royal Palace Guards - John Barnes's novel A Princess of the Aerie * Royal Mexican Coast Guard - Robert A. Heinlein's novel Job S * Sandmen of Deep Sleep - Logan's Run 1976 film * Sarf - Ursula K. Le Guin's novel The Left Hand of Darkness', p. 142 * Section 7 - SeaQuest DSV television series * Section 35 - (rogue Federation undercover agency) - Star Trek universe * Secular Arm - Kingsley Amis's 1976 novel The Alteration * SiteCrime - M. John Harrison's Empty Space: A Haunting * Federal District of Sitka Police - Michael Chabon's novel The Yiddish Policemen's Union * Space Corps Intelligence - Robert Sheckley's novel The Journey of Joenes * Space Force of the Autarchy of Great Asia - Poul Anderson's short story "SOS" in his collection Dialogue With Darkness * Special Circumstances - Iain M. Banks's the Culture universe (see p. 137 of the novel The Hydrogen Sonata) * Special Circumstances from Scott Westerfeld's Uglies trilogy * Special Tactics and Reconnaissance (SPECTRE) - Mass Effect. A collection of largely independent agents tasked with galactic security. * Special Tasks Group (STG) - Mass Effect. Salarian covert operations and intelligence agency. * S.P.H.I.N.X. - Venture Brothers animated television series * Starfleet Intelligence (Federation secret police and intelligence agency) - Star Trek universe T * Tal Shiar (Romulan secret police and intelligence agency) - Star Trek universe * Thought Police - George Orwell's 1949 novel 1984 * Titan Station Security Force - Dead Space * Trans-Temporal Military Authority - Joanna Russ's novel Picnic on Paradise * Triumvirate Security - Richard Paul Russo's Inner Eclipse, p. 8 * Troll Security Service U * UN Interstellar Defense Agency - James L. Cambias's novel A Darkling Sea, p. 348 * Un Security Service - Poul Anderson's short story "The Un-Man" in Astounding January 1953 * UN Space Agency's Orbital Patrol - Chris Roberson's novel Further: Beyond the Threshold * UN Technology Unit - Paul McAuley's novel Into Everywhere, p. 20 * Union Guard - Allen Steele's novel Coyote Rising * USN Revenue Service - Lionel Shriver's novel The Mandibles: A Family, 2029-2047, p. 401 * Uzzites - Philip José Farmer's novel The Lovers V * V'Shar (Vulcan secret police and intelligence agency) - Star Trek universe * Vanamon Crime Corps - Robert Silberberg and Randall Garrett's novel A Little Intelligence Fantasy * Collegium Imago - L.E. Modesitt Jr's Imager universe (both a school and a paramilitary security organization) * Laundry (British) - Charles Stross's Equoid: A Laundry Novella * Magic Police - "Babysitting Unibaby" episode of Axe Cop, first season * Shadow Guard - Neverwinter Nights official module by the same name Other Genres * Memory Police - Yoko Ogawa's novel The Memory Police * Task Force: VALKYRIE - World of Darkness * The Beygency - The Beygency SNL sketch * The Day Watch - Sergei Lukyanenko's novel The Night Watch (also a movie), One of two agencies operated by supernatural beings to keep a check on their opposing numbers in the Night Watch. * The Gash Loss Prevention Unit - Crotchwalkers episode of American Dad 2005-present television series * Light Entertainment Police, Comedy Division, Special Flying Squad - Argument Clinic episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus. * MI7 - Johnny English Reborn 2011 comedy film * National Research Assay Group - The Bourne Legacy 2012 film *''The Night Watch'' - Sergei Lukyanenko's novel The Night Watch (also a movie), One of two agencies operated by supernatural beings to keep a check on their opposing numbers in the Day Watch. Fictional Military Branches in Science Fiction * Agro Army - Spider Robinson's novel Telempath * Hegemonic Guard - Robert A. Heinlein's novel Citizen of the Galaxy * Home Guard - Rachel Bach's novel Future's Pawn * Imperial Marines - John Scalzi's novel The Collapsing Empire * Interstellar Guard - James Gunn's novel Transcendental, p. * Mobile Air and Ground Assault - R. Curtis Venture's Armada Wars, a branch of the Imperial Navy 73 * Mobile Infantry - Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers * UN N-For (Northern Force) - Max Brooks's novel '''World War Z''' Links * Fictional Laws * Fictional Court Cases * Political Ideas in Science Fiction See Also * Chronos Project